Vermillion Smiles
by Pulp Rocker
Summary: A story following six strangers and their war waged to stay alive among the undead. Watch as the journey across a sea of anguish, woe and rage unfolds as these six unfortunate folks cross the ravaged state of Virginia, seeking sanctuary.
1. Initial update and Cast

Hello everyone, this first entry to the story is basically the template I designed for myself to work off of and the six OC's that the story will follow. I wanted to make this based on High School of The Dead, but rather than having my cast be in their late teens, a majority of them are in their early twenties/college years. I plan on having the first chapter out by the end of this week at the latest, and the following chapters I would like to crank out in two week deadlines. I believe that is sufficient time for me to quality check my work, and I believe that my work quality will take priority over time, simply because I want you guys to enjoy what I put out. If you have any questions or comments about the cast or story based questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

* * *

Name: (First, Middle, Last)

Age:

Physical Appearance:

Tattoos/Piercings/Scars

Apparel:

Personality:

History:

Likes:

Dislikes:

Fears:

Sexuality:

Relationship(S):

Nationality:

Skills/Talents:

Education:

Weapons:

Medical Issues:

Job:

Theme Song:

* * *

Name: Margaret, Nadine, Macarthy

Age: 21

Physical Appearance: Blonde, short bob haircut. She has blue eyes, freckles and pale white skin. slightly thicker than most girls. Height of 5'4, Weight is 180.

Tattoos/Piercings/Scars: None

Apparel: She wears a purple zip up hoodie with a lime green shirt, navy jeans and grey chucks.

Personality: Margaret is very much artsy-fartsy, and can be described as bashful, sweet, caring and very motherly. she doesn't get offended about her weight because she built a thick skin against people who picked on her in prior years. She can get upset if someone is reckless with their safety and life, and doesn't appreciate direct confrontation very much. She is also known to be derpy and querky from time to time if she is in a super good mood.

History: Margaret wasn't born into the richest family in the world, but she was still very happy. her mother had divorced her father so she only ever knew her father from her toddler years. She grew up being picked on nearly all her life, but she never let anyone bring her down. She maintained her positivity on the outside, never showing her sad side to anyone, even the few friends she had or her mother. She would end up going through high school declared as a nerd, only having a few close friends. She is a college sophmore now, still maintaining the friendships she built in her high school years. she currently is pursuing a four year bachelor's degree in zoology and a minor in creative expressions.

Likes: Old school (90's) rock, drawing, hugs, helping others to feel better, video games, cartoons (any kind), and sweets.

Dislikes: People yelling at her, being made fun of, needles, seeing people hurt or upset, fighting and being away from her friends.

Fears: Needles,(further explained in medical) and being abandoned.

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Relationships: None (subject to possibly change)

Nationality: Irish

Skills/Talents: She is very creative and intellectual, she can be really good at providing potential strategies for situations. She can shoot somewhat, but doesn't like to get up close unless she has no other choice. Her best gun is either a rifle or a pistol, both with less weight.

Education: Advanced High school diploma and two years of college schooling in zoology and biology. A minor in creative expressions as well.

Weapons:Prefers a glock 17 as a sidearm and a hunting rifle with small caliber bullets (like .22)

Medical issues: She has a fused heart valve, making physical exertion very limited for her as it can be deadly to her health. She can jog for only short distances for example, or swing something heavy only so many times. Due to her heart having this issue, she had to constantly get blood tested throughout her life, which contributed to her fear of needles.

Job: Video store clerk (part-time)

Theme song: Miss world by Hole

* * *

Name: Kent Sugu Kurosawa

Age: 19

Physical Appearance: jet black, medium layered hair. he has brown eyes, very tan skin, possesses bigger arms and upper body. Height of 5'8, Weight is 165

Tattoos/Piercings/Scars: has a baseball plate on fire on his middle back. (tattoo)

Apparel: His favorite outfit consists of a nice black long sleeve shirt that helps express his muscularity. he also wears grey chinos with black and white vans.

Personality: Kent is a very happy, optimistic and funny kind of guy. He acts similar to a brother to people he cares about, and is compatible with nearly everyone, the exception being bad folk that are out to hurt others. He can come off sometimes as a bit too competitive, and can be quick to anger in certain situations, particularly when it comes to secrets he doesn't like sharing with certain people. (for example, if he has feelings for someone.)

History: Kent was only a small child when he and his parents moved from the philippines to the U.S.. His parents divorced when he was eight years old, so he did not receive the ideal upbringing every child probably wanted. However, this did not stop Kent from making friends wherever he went, at school or at extracurricular activities. He grew up playing and loving baseball as his favorite sport, which helped support him finding more buddies during his early middle school days. He currently is a college freshman, simply acquiring his basic credits to apply to something he really wants, once he figures his life out.

Likes: Baseball, partying, the outdoors, cartoons, comedies and naps

Dislikes: Egotistical/arrogant people, someone revealing his secret infatuations, party-poopers, rain and people that purposely try to bring him down.

Fears: Claustrophobic, hates the dark and large insects.

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Relationships: None (subject to possibly change)

Nationality: Philippine

Skills/Talents: Having played baseball and worked out a lot at the gym, Kent can throw hard and hit hard. A perfect combatant, capable of running long distances and can make quick recoveries. His experience with various cars allowed him to learn how to drive stick shift.

Education: Half a year of community college.

Weapons: Favors a baseball bat or similar blunt weapon that he can swing with equal effort.

Medical Issues: None

Job: none

Theme Song: Don't Stop Me Now by Queen

* * *

Name: Martin Bishop Williams

Age: 24

Physical Appearance: Black, short hair. He has brown eyes, pale skin, a very skinny build. wears glasses, handsome look. Height is 5'8, Weight is 125

Tattoos/Piercings/Scars: Has a crown tattooed on his right shoulder.

Apparel: Consists of a white dress shirt and red tie, white dress pants and fancy, expensive boat shoes.

Personality: Martin is very full of himself. having grown up being spoiled by his parents constantly, he feels a sense of entitlement that exceeds half the size of the planet. (metaphorically speaking). His words can be bitter and rude, and sometimes quite vulgar as he does not possess a filter, so it would seem. He quite likes being praised and appreciated, even though his actions leave plenty to be desired.

History: Martin grew up into a very rich and wealthy family, that threw all his desires into his lap. anything he wanted, be it crystal clear tv's to the red corvette he drives, his rich parents bought for him. according to him, his father owns a very successful computer company, making millions by the handfuls. However, due to his father's success as a business man, this caused him to develop a demanding personality, expressing no love or appreciation for his family. this could also be caused by the factor of being an only child. He has the capability to go to any college he wants, but chooses to simply lounge around, spending his father's hard earned money on alcohol, gentlemen clubs and luxuries the middle class can seldom afford.

Likes: Being pampered, being appreciated, not working, making fun of others, drinking and smoking.

Dislikes: being told he is lazy, people who worked to earn their keep, being made to feel bad or guilty, not getting what he wants.

Fears: People finding out he's truly a coward deep down. his life being threatened by people or other circumstances.

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Relationships: None (subject to change)

Nationality: American as ever.

Skills/Talents: Having to not really work in his life puts a limits on what martin can do. His experience with golfing could however be his saving grace as he does know how to use a golf club well. He can also cook extravagant dishes if he has the right ingredients.

Education: Graduated from a private academy at age 18.

Weapons: Frying pans or golf clubs are his preferred choice of defense.

Medical issues: None

Job: None

Theme song: My name is by Eminem

* * *

Name: Kiana Paige Archer

Age: 21

Physical appearance: Black, long thin hair that hangs down to her mid back. She has brown eyes, light brown skin, and an athletic build. Height of 5'6, Weight is 150.

Tattoos/Piercings/Scars: has pierced ears with simple white studs.

Apparel: Wears maroon athletic pants, red running shoes, a black and white tight tank top, likes to wear her hair in a ponytail.

Personality: Kiana is a hard working type of woman who knows how to get the job done. She can come off as reserved and quiet at first, maybe even a little cold. However, should someone get to know her, she can be a very caring and sweet friend. She doesn't quit easily when something needs to get done, but this behavior has led to problems in her past before, because of how truly determined she can become.

History: Kiana grew up in a poor family, her father an abusive drunk, and her mother a beaten and battered housewife. It wouldn't be long before her father perished in a bar fight that went to hell in a hand basket. This event led to her mother assuming the work role, so Kiana seldom got to see her as a kid. When she became of age, Kiana began working jobs to help support her mother, who always expressed her appreciation and love for her daughter. She balanced school, work and exercise through her high school years, and because of her hard work, she got a scholarship to go to college to pursue a degree in physical therapy.

Likes: Lifting, soccer, healthy foods, working, helping ease people's physical pains and cooking.

Dislikes: Entitled people, the cold, bullies, tyrants and not getting exercise in.

Fears: Acrophobia

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Relationships: None (subject to change)

Nationality: Egyptian

Skills/Talents: Can lift heavy objects with ease, has plenty of stamina running wise, great with hand to hand combat.

Education: Bachelor's degree in physical therapy

Weapons: Her fists are great for dealing damage, but in other scenarios she uses anything two handed, sharp or blunt.

Medical issues: None

Job: Physical Therapist

Theme song: Get It Together by India Arie

* * *

Name: Rosalita Marie Labamba

Age: 21

Appearance: Black, wavy thick hair, shoulder length, fair and tan skin, slim build. She has green eyes. Height of 5'2, Weight is 115.

Tattoos/Piercings/Scars: has studs in both ears, has a large boquet of black roses going across her left chest and shoulder that extends down the first half of her left arm. has a studded belly piercing.

Apparel: Wears a sap green tank top with exercise leggings and white running shoes. Wears her hair in a ponytail during physical activity.

Personality: Rosalita has a playful, sassy kind of attitude. if angered, she can be very unpleasant and can hold on to her frustration for longer than she probably should. She is an extrovert by nature and is always friendly towards others.

History: Rosalita grew up in the suburbs with a small family of two younger brothers and her parents. Being the eldest, she constantly looked after her siblings and her school friends and protected them from bullies, even if she got hurt as a consequence. She nearly got expelled for fighting another student in high school one time. she would later go on to be a gifted hair dresser at a high end salon after attending beauty school at 19.

Likes: Spicy food, sleeping, domestic animals, swimming and romantic comedies.

Dislikes: insects, wasting, bullies, loud noises, uncontrolled fire, and people who give her an attitude for no reason.

Fears: Arachnophobia and seeing animals die.

Sexuality: heterosexual

Relationships: none (subject to change)

Nationality: Brazilian

Skills/Talents: Is an amazing stylist, she is very agile and has plenty of stamina from gymnastics, excellent reflexes.

Education: Bachelor's in hair and beauty

Weapons: Prefers smaller weapons such as combat/kitchen knives.

Medical Issues: None

Job: Hair Dresser

Theme Song: Bamboleo by Gipsy Kings

* * *

Name: James Edward Bowie

Age: 22

Appearance: Dark brown, curly wavy hair. has a medium faded cut with a lot of bulk on top, which is pulled down right. small but muscular build. blue eyes. Height of 5'4, weight is 140.

Tattoos/Piercings/Scars: Has a scar on his upper right arm from a knife wound. Has a scar from a deep cut on his left back. Has a tattoo of a blue peony surrounded by several blue and red stars on his left shoulder.

Apparel: Wears a black sleeveless shirt with a black and grey zip up hoodie, along with dark grey jeans and black and red running shoes. Wears dog tags around his neck.

Personality: James can be described as calm, kind and a little reserved. He doesn't like sharing his problems with others as he feels it is genuinely a sign of his own weakness. He has unwavering loyalty to anyone he befriends, and will protect them even if it may cost him his own life.

History: James was in the USAF for four years starting from age eighteen. He was part of security forces, deployed to all sorts of places from Germany to England, guarding the bases diligently. During that time period, he worked gradually towards a massage therapy degree, and once he left the USAF, he quickly acquired his dream job soon after. He now currently works at a massage office, easing the pains and stress of others happily. Little else is known about james as he is reluctant to share anything beyond his recent past…

Likes: Rock music from any era and style, painting, video games, running, and winter.

Dislikes: hot environments, being asked about his past, being in large crowds, being taken for granted and things that taste bitter.

Fears: Automatonophobia (fear of dolls dummies and puppets) and losing people he cares about

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Relationships: none(subject to change)

Nationality: Irish/French

Skills/Talents: is exceptionally accurate with guns, more cardio based than strength, and can relieve pain through massage therapy.

Education: USAF security forces training, Bachelor's in massage therapy

Weapons: M1911Colt is his preferred firearm, a 9 inch knife for self defense.

Medical Issues: None

Job: Massage therapist

Theme Song: Don't Panic by Coldplay


	2. Prologue:Red In The Sand

RED IN THE SAND

11:54AM June 7, 2017

* * *

The sun was almost at it's peak in the sky as the clock gradually ticked towards high noon, fluffy white clouds were scattered across the beautiful blue, floating carefree. It was a beautiful day for golfing in Richmond, and Martin was growing impatient with his current game. It would appear that his old colleague was several points ahead of him, and they were at the final hole. Martin needed a miracle to win this game, or else he'd be kissing a thousand dollars goodbye.

"Are you ready to fork over the dough Martin?" Richard said with a big grin on his face. Martin simply looked at him with disgust.

"Why don't you shut up and swing already? You're boring me and I got better things to do later," he replied sounding annoyed. Richard chuckled at him, rubbed his gloved hands together and got in a stance to swing his club. He struck the ball, sending it soaring through the air, the smile on his face turning upside down as he watched it head towards the sand trap.

"Ah dammit!" Richard said as he stomped on the grassy ground. Martin laughed at Richard's dismay with his arms crossed, "Guess I've got a shot at this after all."

Martin walked over and climbed into the golf cart they had rented for the game, and beeped the horn twice, "C'mon Richie, the Kings got a game to win!" he proclaimed.

Richard clenched his club in frustration at his taunt. "Just you wait, I'm gonna wipe that smart ass look off your face Williams." Richard said lowly.

He hopped into the cart, and the two of them rode towards the hole. As they drew near, they came to a slow halt and disembarked, both of them determined to win the bet for bragging rights and one thousand dollars. Richard looked at the ball that landed in the sand trap, struggling to find some way to get his ball out of the hole. In the meantime, Martin simply twirled his club with a smug look on his face. In the middle of his overconfident toying with his club, Martin spotted a figure rustling in the bushes, a few yards away. Sand was cast into the air as Richard furiously attempted to swipe his ball out of the sand trap.

"Piece of shit," he grumbled. Martin chuckled, and returned his attention to the bushes, only to find that they had stopped. He raised his eyebrow for a moment, then spotted a man stumbling around clumsily, his arms dangling carelessly at his sides. As the strange man walked closer to the two golfers, Martin noticed that he had a bloody wound on his right shoulder, and blood spattered across his dress shirt.

"Holy shit, Richard! Hey Richard!" Sand was flicked in the air again, "Dammit! You made me miss you idiot!" Richard shouted angrily.

The man slowly made his way up the hill towards Martin, giving out a ghastly moan, as if suffocating. "Hey, are you okay man?" Martin asked looking grossed out.

"I'm just peachy, smartass," Richard responded bitterly. The man simply stared at him, his bloodshot eyes locked on him. He reached out in attempt to grab Martin, but was shoved back hard.

"Hey asshole! I just asked if you were okay!" Martin snapped. Richard took his hat off and threw it in the sand in anger.

"If you're messing with me man the bet's-" but before Richard finished, he saw the bloodied, moaning man as it neared Martin again. "What the hell's up with this guy?" Richard asked with his hand out. Martin shoved the man back a second time.

"Come at me again and you'll regret it!" Martin yelled. The man ignored him and only snarled, then continued to lumber over.

Martin gritted his teeth, and pointed at him, "I mean it!" he said sounding a little anxious. When the man got too close, Martin shoved him toward the pit.

"Wo wo hey!" Richard shouted in a panic as the bloodied man fell on top of him. The golf course was filled with the sound of painful screams as Martin witnessed the strange man take a large bite out of Richard's right arm.

"Ma-Martin! Get this asshole off of me!" poor Richard yelped.

Martin shook his head with his mouth gaped open in shock. The man took another bite, this time in Richard's chest, blood splashing across the sand, and Richard's face as he screamed again.

"MARTIN YOU STUPID PRICK! GET HIM OFF ME!" he demanded.

Martin slowly walked backwards, then turned after hearing more footsteps. Another man and a woman were slowly stumbling about, their faces and clothes covered in red. Martin frantically ran over to the cart, ignoring Richard who called out to him. He made a roundabout and drove away from the bloodied people. His mind was racing with questions and his body was sweaty and filled with adrenaline, his fight or flight instinct taking it's course. A slight feeling of guilt came over Martin as he briefly turned his head to see the other two freaks tumble down the sand trap, were they the same as the first guy? Martin did his best to shake away the fact that he knew he just left Richard to get chewed up by whatever those things were, they couldn't have been human he thought. As he drew back towards the rental building, he saw people running away. Confusion and sweat were written all over Martin's pale face, what was happening? Screams and shrieks could be heard from across the field while the frightened golfer drove to the parking lot. Not even turning the cart off, Martin scrambled over to his precious red corvette with his keys in hand. He climbed in, started the car, and booked it out of the parking lot, speeding down the road as if the devil were chasing him.

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed the prologue, **THIS IS NOT THE FIRST CHAPTER,** the first chapter will be out this week. I wanted to establish this as just a sample of what I'm capable of. The real show will begin soon, and I hope to entertain as many readers as possible with this project. Thanks for readin! Take care folks!

-Pulp Rocker


	3. Chapter 1: Hit The Ground Running

Hit The Ground Running

* * *

8:37 PM June 5, 2017

The sound of keys clinking together ceased when the front door of the apartment was opened. The man held his hand up to his mouth as he yawned, closing the door and latching the bolt at the top. He walked into his bathroom and removed his black t-shirt and kicked off his tennis shoes. He gazed upon his arms, his left, a tattoo of an extravagant blue peony flower, blue and red stars encircling it. His right, a single horizontal scar from a knife wound long ago when he was an adolescent boy. After messing with his high and tight brown hair, the man loaded his toothbrush, and walked over to his old, boxy television and turned it on. While brushing his teeth, he searched tiredly for any news channels, hoping to get caught up on any new current events. Eventually he stopped on one, got up and went back to the bathroom sink to rinse out his mouth. Over the rushing water, he heard the lady say something about breaking news, but could barely hear anything else. Making his way back, he saw multiple houses with police tape marked on all of them on screen. Raising an eyebrow he sat down on his couch, listening carefully.

"According to police reports, there have been more acts of violence across the city of Richmond in the last forty eight hours. Police say that the reasons behind these attacks are unknown, and perhaps more alarming, is the fact that these suspects seem incoherent and unresponsive to any amount of reasoning. Furthermore, we have a family member of a suspect who says they have witnessed a scene unfold, before calling-"but before the news anchor could finish, the man's phone in his pocket buzzed for a second. Pulling it out and opening it, he saw that his coworker Jane texted him.

'Thank you so much James for covering my shift at work, I owe you one :)' Typing on his touchscreen keypad, he sent a message back.

It was no problem to James, after all, it was his passion. Looking back up, a male news anchor was talking to another man, who looked distressed. "I don't know what happened, we're a loving and wonderful family, my wife would never hurt our kids.. But she just came after them like she was some sort of monster, she tried to bite them, then she tried to bite me. Look she even bit my thumb, took a chunk right out." the man said hissing at the end of his sentence in pain. James remembered an incident in Miami a couple years back, this must have been like that time that guy ate that cop's face because he consumed bath salts or something like that. But still, James was a little worried about the fact that there were multiple incidents now, all sounding, similar from what he gathered from the first anchor. Shaking his head slowly, James turned off the television and the lights, and went to his bedroom. An old United States Air Force uniform hung in his open closet, the name tape reading Bowie, the chevrons representing his old status as a Staff Sergeant. Looking over at his desk, picture frames containing images of fond memories stood in the dim light. Three were pictures of him standing proudly with his other brothers and sisters in arms, the fourth, a picture of him as a child and his parents. He smiled faintly for a moment in recollection, then laid down on his bed facing across the desk and door. Remembering the art show he wanted to attend at the local community college, he set his alarm to wake up at seven in the morning. After setting his phone on his nightstand, he turned off his lamp and adjusted his position to rest on his left side. Closing his eyes, he quickly drifted into a slumber due to his long day at the massage parlor.

* * *

10:30 AM June 6, 2017

"And if nobody has any questions, I'd like to once again welcome you all, please enjoy show."

At the Community College of Richmond, the auditorium was crackling with the applause of quite a large audience as the art program director concluded her introductions. James slung his black backpack over his shoulders and slowly made his way through the crowded aisles and out of the auditorium. He felt his eagerness grow as he neared the gallery, but kept his cool while he drifted along with the crowd. Upon entering through the double wide doors, James's head was on a swivel, constantly looking left and right at all the different varieties of artwork. Walking around, one could easily find something creatively special and unique. From photography to pottery, this art show had it all. James came to a halt in front of a particularly peculiar display, standing next to it was a woman dressed in a purple hoodie and lime green shirt, her hands folded together in front of her, giving off an aura of properness. James scanned the images deeply for a few moments, one that caught his eye was an octopus portrayed as a hot air balloon, carrying a child through a starry night sky.

"Wow.." James said beneath his breathe.

This made the artist in front of him smile in the corner of his eye.

"I don't pick favorites normally, but.. I like to think that one is my best piece yet." she said as she looked upon it with James.

"It's unique, I'll tell you that," he responded back with a smile. "What was the inspiration for it?" he asked.

"It's just something from my childhood, I guess just looking back on it made me happy, so I just drew it up as a reminder." she answered.

Looking at the rest of the images, James was thoroughly amazed by the rest of the artist's creativity. Pictures depicting nature and cartoon styled characters were displayed across her stand.

"I really like your work m'am, honestly, I think your art should be displayed in a real gallery, somewhere your talent can have a spotlight." said James.

"Oh, that's awfully kind of you, I'm thankful that you like my work." she said brushing her blonde, bob hair over her ear. "Are you a student here?" she asked.

"No, I'm a massage therapist, I work at a massage parlor called 'Melting Hands' here in Richmond." he answered.

"Oh I see, I'm halfway through here, I'm studying zoology and creative expressions. I only ask because you look very young, I thought I might just not have seen you on campus before."

James's hand went to his chin, feeling how smooth it was from his morning shave. "Yeah, I get that a lot sometimes. I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself, my name is James Bowie," he said holding his hand out to shake the artist's.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Margaret Macarthy," she said shaking his hand gently.

"Would I be wrong to assume that you have more art stowed away somewhere else?" James asked putting his hands on his hips.

"No, I do have more, but I don't know if I'd show them to anyone, let alone put them on my exhibit." she responded sounding a little sheepish.

"Well I'm no judge of fine work, maybe we can get coffee sometime or something? I've never gotten to know an artist personally." said James.

Margaret paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Yeah, that'd be great." she then pulled out her phone, and the two of them swapped phone numbers.

"I'm normally very busy during the week, the weekend is the only real time I have and I usually spend it doing art stuff anyway," she said.

"I usually work the morning shifts on weekends, and I suppose I'm usually booked during the week too." James responded. He looked at his digital watch briefly, "Well, if I'm gonna have time to take care of my errands, I better finish checking everything else out. Gotta do adult stuff, ya know?" James said chuckling a bit.

"Right? I hate having to be responsible sometimes, I just wish I could relax in my pajamas for a day or two." Margaret said with a giggle.

"Couldn't agree more. Well I better get going, take care Ms. Macarthy." he finished before turning to finish his tour of the gallery. Margaret continued to stand by her exhibit, a smile from ear to ear across her freckled face as she watched James disappear into the crowd.

* * *

1:30 PM June 6, 2017

At the Bull Dog Gym, people flocked to machines and weights like moths to a light in the summer night. Men and women of varying ages were lifting and pulling, sweating and working to improve themselves. Meanwhile, the sun shined brightly down on the red outdoor track, which was only occupied by a few runners. Stretching out his arms and legs, James was jamming out to his old ipod that rested in his black shorts pocket. The device was tuned to 'Kids in America' by Kim Wilde. He began walking steadily, accelerating to a jog, then breaking out into a run. His feet pounding the ground, his breathe controlled, he sped up as the song did, matching it's intensity. The combination of the thrill, adrenaline, and frisson from the music gave James chills, thus causing him to speed up even more. He would continue to run for 4 laps before coming to a sluggish walk, sweating profusely and breathing heavily. He walked over to the bleachers and grabbed his keys from his bag before half slinging it on his right shoulder. The humidity made the air heavy, as if it were made of hot soup, and James tried to quench his thirst using the bladder in his pack. Slowly, he made his way over to his car in the parking lot next to the track, a blue, 2015 Honda Fit station wagon. He stretched out, wiped his forehead with his forearm, and climbed into the driver seat which was protected by a beach towel.

Once the car started, and the a.c. began blowing cool air, James pulled out of the lot and onto the road, heading for home. Turning the knob slightly, he tuned to the news and listened. "-We have just received word on the recent crime earlier this morning. The victim from this morning's incident was found mutilated and deceased outside the apartment complex of 3966 Brandy Road, suspect Dean Baker was arrested after one of his neighbors had phoned the police. The victim has been identified as Daniel Wallace, who suffered six gun shots to the chest, and a head injury from a two story fall, caused by the suspect. We now go to-" James stopped listening as questions budded in his mind, realizing that the apartment complex they were talking about was the one he lived at. A few minutes later, he arrived at the complex parking lot, blue and red lights flashed spontaneously in multiple directions. Police tape was everywhere, an ambulance parked among many police cars, the scene of the crime not too far away. James parked and exited his car with his black pack, and scanned the surroundings further. About 30 meters away, he could barely make out a bloodied figure, surrounding it, a pool of dark red.

"Excuse me sir, but I'm gonna have to ask you to not look, please return to your home." one of the police officers said walking over to James assertively.

James turned the other way and made his way for the stairwell. After ascending, James spotted more police tape, stretching across from a door to the low railing. Blood had been spattered upon the door and concrete, the railing included. From what James gathered, he hypothesized that the victim got shot and shoved over the railing, falling to his death. What was more disturbing was that it was only two doors down from James's apartment. Quickly, he made his way inside, and bolted his door shut. Thoughts raced through his head, what if he had been here this morning? Would he have been in danger of some similar fate? He shook it off and pulled out his phone, dialing his co-worker, Jane. After ringing for a few moments, she picked up.

"Hey James, I'm at work right now, did you need something?"

"Jane listen, I just got back home and there was a murder right down my hall," James responded promptly.

"A murder? Oh my god," she said sounding shocked.

"Look, something's going on, have you seen the news lately? There've been attacks reported randomly all over the city this week. Is your apartment safe?" he asked feeling concern.

"Yeah, I mean, I've got a bolt and a latch, plus I got pepper spray." she answered hesitantly.

"Alright, just be careful, there is definitely something going on and I've got a bad feeling about it." said James.

"I will, thank you James, I gotta get back to work, be safe." she finished.

"Bye," and then he hung up the phone. He placed his hands on his hips and tapped his foot on the floor. He went to his bedroom and opened his nightstand, revealing a small steel case. Opening it, he revealed an M1911 Colt and a magazine, loaded with ten bullets. He looked at it deeply in thought, then closed it, shaking his head.

"No, I shouldn't need this.. Hopefully.." he said lowly to himself. James assured himself that he would exercise extreme caution from then on, and went to the bathroom to wash away the sweat from running.

* * *

Well that wraps up the first chapter. Not much to say other than I hope you all enjoyed it, let me know what you liked or didn't like. The sooner I get more feedback, the sooner I can apply it to my work. I had fun writing this one, and I intend to have another chapter out very soon. Stay tuned for more! And thanks again for reading folks.

-Pulp Rocker


	4. Chapter 2: The First Brush Strokes

The First Brush Strokes

* * *

1:17 PM June 6, 2017

The curtains were cast over the window where the sun shined through into the dorm. Margaret had just finished putting her artwork away in her closet and under her bed. She proceeded to exchange her blue jeans for something more comfortable, a pair of dark purple sweatpants. She stretched upward a bit, then went over to her desk and activated her small stereo, and turned on her lamp. She flicked and clicked through her Mp3 player until she was satisfied with her choice. The dorm room was filled with the sound of 'She Blinded Me With Science' by Thomas Dolby, and Margaret couldn't help but begin moving and grooving to the beat. Her face brightened up with a smile so big it would make the cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland jealous. She lip synced and danced without a care in the world. What a wonderful way to begin the weekend she thought, especially getting out early on a Friday after the show. Margaret's body continued to move to the rhythm, until she heard someone open the door, startling her. She quickly tried to stop the music, making anxious movements, a red tone of blush immediately showing on her face.

"Oh my goodness, are you actually dancing?" said Margaret's roommate, her New Jersey accent showing loud and proud. In the doorframe stood a young caucasian woman that wore silver studs in her ears, and had a rather short, brown haircut for a lady. Her chestnut eyes were wide with astonishment, and her pearly smile added a hint of giddiness.

"Stephanie! Don't you know how to knock?" Margaret whined.

"I didn't say stop! Let me dance with you!" Stephanie said as she deposited her own art onto her bed, after shutting the door. Margaret held her hands to her chest nervously.

"No Steph, I don't.. I don't like dancing around people, it makes me.. I don't know." she tried to find words to describe her uncomfortableness to her roommate, dancing was not something Margaret did in the eyes of another person. Her hands went to her face in an attempt to hide her blush.

"That's okay silly, did you have fun at the show? Come here and give me some love you." Stephanie went over to Margaret, gently pulled her hands away from her face and gave her a big hug, Margaret hugged her back happily. If it's one thing she couldn't resist, it was hugs.

"Yeah, I had a great time at the show, lots of people were giving me compliments on my work." she responded. Stephanie began multitasking listening with cleaning up her mound of art that rested on her bed.

"See what I tell ya? I just knew people were gonna love your exhibit, I just knew it." Stephanie said proudly while storing some stuff away under her bed.

"I guess you were right," Margaret giggled as she sat upon her pink bed. Stephanie finished putting her show items away, then proceeded to lay upon her bed with a deep sigh.

"You doin anything tonight?" Stephanie asked looking over at her good friend.

"Not really, I was just gonna relax in my jammies, maybe watch a movie, I got a gallon of vanilla ice cream if you wanna share," said Margaret sounding excited.

"No thanks Margarita, I've actually got a date tonight at the movies, I was gonna ask if you wanted to come along with Jeff and me," Stephanie responded.

"Gosh, you're so lucky Steph, you've got talent, you're beautiful and now you got a boyfriend?" Margaret said sounding glum now.

"Stop it you! You're gonna give me feelings! What do I got that you don't got silly?" Stephanie protested. Margaret looked down at the floor, her smile turned upside down.

"And relax, it's not like a date-date ya know, we haven't even held hands yet," Stephanie laughed. Margaret stood, went over to Stephanie's side and sat beside her on her bed.

"It's just.. I wish I could have someone too.. It would be amazing if I found someone I can connect with, someone to talk to, someone to.." her words trailed until she couldn't think of anything else she could add to her list. She felt Stephanie's hand on top of her's, and she said,

"Margaret, the right man will come for you when you least expect it, don't you worry your pretty little head about hunting him down." Stephanie sat up next to her, wrapping her arm around her roommate's shoulder.

"And when that happens he better make you the happiest princess in the world, or so help me Margaret, I will kick his sorry phanny." she finished proudly. Margaret looked at her with her sky blue eyes, her smile returning to her face. She wrapped her arms around Stephanie tenderly in appreciation of her kind words.

"Thank you Stephanie, you're the best," Margaret stated. Stephanie giggled slightly, and said,

"No you're the best ya goofball!" and then Margaret was attacked by Stephanie's spidery hand that tickled her stomach, causing her to give out bursts of giggles.

"Stephanie! You know I'm ticklish!" she cried in between gut busting laughs. Stephanie ceased up and held Margaret for a bit before standing up.

"Alright you, I've gotta get ready for my date, won't you be a dear and help me do my nails?" she said spinning around, her hands returning to her hips.

"Of course." Margaret answered happily.

Some time went by as Stephanie shed her casual clothing, and donned a red velvet dress. Margaret assisted in polishing all her nails in a similar red color, perfectly coloring Stephanie's nails without any mishaps. Once she had finished applying her makeup, Stephanie went to crown her efforts with a stroke of lipstick.

"And you were calling me a princess," Margaret commented with a silly smirk.

"Oh whatever honey, you and I are both beautiful, and thanks for doin my nails, you always get them perfectly," Stephanie responded.

"Anytime love," Margaret responded before returning to her desk and grabbing her Mp3 player. The time on it read 3:12 PM. Suddenly, Stephanie's phone began ringing for a few seconds, then stopped when she answered.

"Hey Jeffrey, I'm just gettin ready for our night out on the town," she proclaimed excitedly. Margaret in the meantime booted up her computer, a picture of her toy poodle set the background on her monitor.

"Oh my goodness, are you going to be okay?" Margaret heard Stephanie ask.

"No it's fine, it's fine, just please call me or text me afterward so I can come see you alright? I'm so sorry Jeff, I hope you get better.. Thank you.. Goodbye," and she hung up. Stephanie's expression had gone from eagerness to frightfulness after what she had just been informed.

"What's wrong?" Margaret asked worriedly. Stephanie's hands covered her mouth, then went to the sides of her head.

"Jeffrey got attacked by some woman near his apartment! He said that she bit his arm and now he's being taken to the hospital." Stephanie said in shock. Margaret felt her jaw drop after hearing that sentence.

"Oh my gosh, is he gonna be alright?" she asked her friend. Margaret sat down next to her and gently placed her hands on Stephanie's shoulders.

"Yeah he's-he's gonna be fine he said but I'm still worried.. He sounded so scared on the phone, like he just saw a monster or something," Stephanie answered concernedly. Margaret gently pulled her closer and rubbed her back in hopes of calming her friend down.

"Try not to think about it too much Steph, he's safe now and people are going to take care of him right? He'll be okay, don't you worry," Margaret said in reassurance. Stephanie nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I hope you're right.. Just who would do something like that?" she questioned.

"i don't know Steph," Margaret answered. She continued to gently rub Stephanie's back, worried for her friend, trying to find some way to cheer her up.

"I don't think I'll go out tonight," she sighed as she leaned on Margaret's shoulder. A look of sadness on her face she had worked so hard to make glamorous and pretty. Then Margaret got an idea, then proceeded to boop Stephanie's nose with her index finger.

"Well, why don't I take you out instead?" she suggested. Stephanie looked up at her, her smile returning slightly.

"Why don't we go to that nice restaurant you love so much? The one that does great seafood?" Stephanie's smile grew larger, then she nodded.

"You sure? You're already in your pajamas though," she questioned. Margaret shook her head and said,

"My best friend is not going to be sad on her friday night." She then went to her closet and busted out a glimmering, forest green dress that reflected the light from her lamp. Stephanie stepped forward and hugged Margaret once more.

"Like I said, you're the best." she finished happily.

* * *

Happy Saturday everyone, I hoped you enjoyed this second chapter. I wanted to get going on dropping some more content to begin the process of building this story that I have huge plans for. I want this to be one of my finest works, granted it's my first. And I will not forget that mistakes happen to everyone, but that is also how we learn so I hope to use my shortcomings as a guide to better myself and my content so you the audience are happy and entertained. Thanks again, and remember, please send me feedback so I can build the best story for you guys!

-Pulp Rocker


	5. Chapter 3: Benjamins

Benjamins

* * *

3:30 PM June 6, 2017

"C'mon Richie, don't tell me you're scared of losing to me," Martin said with a mocking chuckle.

"I'm not scared of you dickwad, I don't see the point in making a bet on a game of golf when a million different things can happen," Richard protested sounding agitated.

"You're such a wuss you know that? You're a chicken! A big, fat chicken! Bock bock bock!" Martin clucked imitating the farm animal.

"Shut the hell up! If it'll make you quit being a huge asshole then fine! One thousand in cash, get ready for an ass kicking Williams!" he shouted before hanging up on Martin.

He smiled devilishly, happy that he was able to persuade his colleague into his little game. A woman behind him giggled with an enormous grin. Martin turned to her, and gazed upon her gorgeous body. Her name was Courtney Perkins, a twenty-two year old college student with brunette hair mixed with blonde highlights that flowed down to her mid back. She had sun tanned skin, and well defined curves. Her lips were the color of the most delicious red apple, and she wore a black dress that showed perhaps a little too much skin.

"Who was that?" Courtney asked holding her alcoholic drink up to her face.

"My good friend Richard, just wanted to play a little friendly game of golf for a thousand bucks with him tomorrow." Martin answered as he subtly examined Courtney's beautiful figure from head to toe.

"Ooh, I see, you must be very brave to risk losing that much," she said before taking a sip of her strawberry daiquiri. This comment made Martin reach into his fancy, white coat pocket and pull out a fat clip of hundred dollar bills. Removing the clip, he flicked through the stack with his thumb. Courtney's eyes widened up a bit as she covered her mouth in astonishment.

"You didn't think I was joking about how much dough I'm rolling in, did you?" Martin questioned with one eyebrow raised.

"I guess I didn't expect you to be that wealthy..Handsome." she finished after taking another sip of her drink. She then set it aside on the nightstand, and slowly approached Martin who was sitting in his chair, his eyes locked on hers. She then spread her legs upon his lap, her black skirt rising up, revealing her red thong. She gazed upon Martin's smiling face, awaiting a response of some sort, perhaps a comment on her beauty.

"Well damn, I figured you were just here for the drinks." He responded setting the money aside on a nearby table. His hands met Courtney's back, slowly sliding down to her rather full bottom. Courtney stroked his chin seductively, a look of desire in her eyes.

"I guess you could say I'm very.. Thirsty." She responded as her index finger slid down his well dressed chest.

"Well baby.. Go ahead and drink up.." Martin finished before placing his hand on the back of her head and pulling her in for a deep kiss. Courtney's lips sunk into his, they're mouths tasting of alcohol. The sound of them kissing was as if a puppy was eating peanut butter for the first time. They gradually sped up, they're breathing increasing, they're bodies becoming aroused. Both of them moaned, Martin fondling Courtney's bum, and Courtney digging her hands into Martin's neck, they're bodies rubbing roughly together. A few minutes of them playing tongue twister passed by when they stopped, before they both became too excited. By the time they finished, they were breathing heavily, a look of satisfaction and pleasure imprinted on both of they're faces. Courtney stood and went over to her drink, and gulped almost all of it down. Meanwhile, Martin attempted to adjust his pants around his crotch area after they're episode of lust. Courtney put her cup down again, and massaged the right side of her behind.

"I love when you touch my ass," she giggled sounding a little drunk. Martin stood up and went over to her, placed his left hand on her back, his right spanking her bum once before kissing her again.

"Not as much as I do," he responded after the kiss. He walked over to the table and picked up his wad of benjamins, and waved it slightly in front of Courtney. "What do you say we go out tonight? I'll take you somewhere more exciting than this boring ass hotel." He asked her. Courtney finished the rest of her drink before answering.

"What do you have in mind big boy?" She asked back before sitting upon the queen sized bed with her legs crossed. Martin stroked his smooth chin for a moment or two, then found his answer.

"I'm thinking 'King Crab', that classy, seafood restaurant, and afterwards, that club uptown, 'Club Virgo'." He stated.

"Ooh Martin, you're saying all the right things right now, you really know what a girl wants to hear," Courtney purred, a slight blush showing on her cheeks. Sometime would pass by, Courtney spent some time reapplying her makeup, while Martin relaxed in his comfy chair, puffing away on an expensive, cuban cigar. The two had sobered back up a bit, and left their room, making their way down the hall to the elevator. Martin had his left hand placed on Courtney's waist as they walked together closely. Finding the elevator, they descended down the floors and exited, through the lobby toward the parking lot. The sun, still high in the sky, shined down on Martin's freshly waxed, red corvette. They climbed into the shiny car, and Martin proceeded to roll down the windows before reversing out and beginning their drive to their destination.

* * *

5:00 PM June 6th, 2017

"Hey, what did the fish say when he ran into a wall?" Stephanie asked as she and Margaret sat at the fancy dinner table. The sound of people chattering and dining resonated throughout the restaurant, 'King Crab'.

"Hmmm… I'm not sure, what did the fish say?" Margaret answered after pondering the riddle for a moment.

"Dam." Stephanie responded with a smirk. This triggered Margaret, causing her to laugh so hard she snorted, which caused Stephanie to laugh along with her. Margaret tried to cover her laughing face that turned red like a tomato in embarrassment.

"Oh my gosh, you are so cheesy!" Margaret said trying to control herself.

"I think I'm 'Nacho' cheesy really," Stephanie responded again with another smirk before taking a sip of her water. Margaret lost control again, covering her mouth with one hand while holding her stomach with the other.

"Stephanie! You're gonna embarrass us!" She tried to whisper through chuckles. Stephanie giggled and took a bite of her chicken caesar salad. Margaret composed herself again, and slurped her potato soup delicately. They eagerly awaited their supper, Margaret had ordered a light salmon, and Stephanie had ordered a platter of crab legs. A young waiter led a handsome man dressed in a fancy white suit with a red tie along with a woman dressed in a revealing black dress. The waiter seated them at a table next to Margaret and Stephanie, while they continued dining on their appetizers.

Finally, a waitress brought over their orders to the two young ladies, "Here you are, the light salmon and King Crab platter, and is there anything I can get for you two lovely ladies?" she asked with a polite smile. Margaret and Stephanie both shook their heads.

"No we're alright m'am, thank you very much," Stephanie answered.

"Please enjoy your meal," she finished before beginning to walk away.

"Thank you, you too m'am," Margaret said, realizing soon after what she just said before blushing in embarrassment. Stephanie giggled behind her hand at Margaret.

"You too m'am? You're so silly Margaret," Stephanie commented.

"Oh my gosh shut up!" Margaret responded covering her face with her hands.

"Hey, hey Margarita I'm just kidding ya goof!" Stephanie said patting the table gently. Margaret removed her hands from her face and looked at Stephanie with puppy-like eyes.

"Margaret.. You know I'm so glad you're here with me, I want you to know that. I am so thankful you're with me right now," she stated seriously as she rested her hand on Margaret's. This made Margaret's smile return to her face. Laughter could be heard from the table next to theirs. Both Margaret and Stephanie looked at the man and woman that just sat down. They were looking at Margaret and Stephanie as they snickered amongst themselves. Stephanie's expression changed from grateful to annoyed.

"I'm happy to be here with you Steph, you really do know how to make me feel special." Margaret responded looking back at her friend. "You're one of the few amazing people in my life.. You've always been there for me.." Margaret finished.

"Cause you're always there for me honey," Stephanie said before tearing into her crab leg. Margaret began cutting her salmon with her fork before the woman one table across spoke.

"Oh my god, is that dyke seriously dating that fat ass?" Courtney commented quietly trying to contain her laughter before taking a sip of water. Stephanie overheard the rude remark, then slammed her half eaten crab leg on her plate and wiped her face with a napkin, shaking her head in disgust at Margaret. She gave Stephanie a look of worry, unprepared for what would unfurl should Stephanie start something.

"Let's just ignore them," Margaret whispered to Stephanie. She watched as Steph balled her hand into a fist, and tried to control her temper by quenching her angry thirst with her water. Margaret took a nervous bite of her salmon, and spoke up again.

"This salmon is really good, it's great for the heart too," she said after swallowing.

"She must really love bigger girls." Martin said lowly after the waiter filled their glasses with red wine, before walking away. Stephanie grabbed her glass of water and stood up quickly, her expression, extremely pissed off. She walked over to the rude couple, Martin and Courtney trying desperately to hide their humored faces.

"I'm sorry, is they're something funny about my friend and I just enjoying our dinner?" she asked angrily. Courtney looked away, giggling harder. Martin cleared his throat before he answered Stephanie's question.

"No not at all," the well dressed man lied.

"Oh really? Because it sounds a lot like you're making fun of us. You got a problem with how we look or somethin?" Stephanie retaliated with her hand on her hip.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I got a problem with fat bitches thinking they can go fine dining when they shouldn't." He began as his smile faded away, his tone growing in seriousness. "Why don't you take your friend out to Applebees, so she can go stuff her face with another cheeseburger?" Martin questioned as he gestured over at Margaret, who watched nervously. Courtney busted out laughing at Martin's response, causing Stephanie to purse her lips. She then splashed her ice cold drink in Courtney's face, soaking her black dress. Courtney's jaw was wide with shock as her hands were raised up to her face. Martin stood up immediately, and backhanded Stephanie, forcing her to the ground. This made the other guests feel very awkward and quiet as they observed the event.

"Stephanie!" Margaret called out as she came to her friend's side, helping her back up carefully.

"You ugly bitch!" Courtney screamed as she stood up, ready to engage Stephanie. Martin pulled her back by her stomach with both his arms, his suit getting slightly damp from the water on Courtney.

"Relax babe, these disgusting broads aren't even worth getting upset over," he finished before he spat on the green, carpeted floor in disgust. A rather muscular, black man dressed in a black suit approached the four of them.

"Alright that's enough, I'm going to have to ask all of you to leave this establishment, right now." He stated grimly.

"Why us!? What did we do!?" Courtney protested. The man swiftly pulled out a flip cell phone, meanwhile, the rest of the guests looked down at their plates in an attempt to ignore the situation.

"I won't say it again, both parties are to leave this instant, unless you want to be arrested." he said preparing to dial in the numbers. Martin scoffed at the man, and raised his hands up, trying to act like a smart-ass.

"Alright alright, we'll leave. C'mon babe, this place isn't worth the dirt it's standing on." Martin proclaimed before taking Courtney by the shoulders and walking towards the front door.

"Let's go!" The black suited man yelled as he shoved Martin with one hand.

"Are you alright Stephanie?" Margaret asked worriedly. Stephanie rubbed her red cheek gently.

"I'm fine.." she answered lowly. The bouncer returned quickly, looking quite pissed now.

"We don't need you two causing trouble for the rest of our guests, get the hell out of here." he said with his thumb pointing to the exit. Margaret gently held Stephanie, and they both walked towards the same door the rude couple went out of.

"It's alright everyone, please, continue to enjoy your food," they heard the man say as they left the restaurant.

* * *

5:22 PM June 6, 2017

"I can't believe that fucking dyke did this to me! This dress was so expensive!" Courtney screamed as she made angry gyrations.

"Babe, calm down, it's just water," Martin responded as he continued to drive down the busy road.

"Don't you fucking tell me to calm down Martin! She ruined my dress! My hair! She ruined this night!" Courtney whined loudly. Martin's grip tightened on the wheel, his blood pressure rising slowly but surely.

"Courtney, holy shit, this night isn't ruined, quit yelling," Martin said raising his voice, sounding annoyed. She scoffed at him, and crossed her arms while looking out the passenger window, shaking her head.

"Unbelievable.." she muttered under her breathe. At this point, Martin had grown tired already of Courtney's bad attitude.

"Look, if you wanna be a dumb bitch, then you can fucking leave, I'll drop you off right here and I'll just go to the club, maybe find a chick that won't fucking yell at me." he threatened. A few moments of silence passed by, the tension so heavy you could almost feel it in the air. Then Courtney turned back to her driver, and placed her hand upon his thigh, then smiled.

"I'm sorry.. I promise.. I'll be good." she said in an attempt to cozy up to Martin. They ended up in the parking lot at the hotel they were staying at. Once Martin parked, he looked over at the young lady, her head still wet from the water. A smile came across his face again.

"Now that's more like it. When we get upstairs, you're getting a spanking, cause you've been very naughty tonight." Martin said devilishly. Courtney bit her lip, and said,

"Oh, please don't do that, Daddy," she joked before sinking her lips into Martin's again.

* * *

Meanwhile...

Stephanie drove quietly towards the Richmond Community College, Margaret unable to read her emotion. She was too afraid to say something, fearful that she may only agitate her friend even more. As the building came into sight, Stephanie broke the silence by slapping the wheel with her teeth barred. Still though, she didn't say anything. Margaret chose to be brave in the moment.

"Steph?" she began.

"Margaret just!..Don't." she said in frustration, trying not to lash out at her friend. This muted Margaret, however, she understood Stephanie enough to know that it's best to not interact with her in situations like this. They finally parked in the parking lot, Stephanie then removed her key, turning the car off. She rested her head on the top of the wheel, and began weeping.

"Margaret..I'm so sorry.." Stephanie said as she sniffled, her eyes becoming brooks of tears as they flowed slowly down her face. Margaret put her hand on her shoulder gently.

"For what Steph? I'm okay, we're both okay!" she said worrying for her friend.

"No! I!..I shouldn't have done what I did, you told me to ignore them and I didn't listen!" Stephanie said beating herself up.

"But Stephanie, you stood up for us, you stood up for me," Margaret argued.

"Margaret, they called you fat and me ugly, who the hell do they think they are!?" Stephanie shouted before plunging her hands into her face, trying to stop her eyes from leaking. Margaret reached across the console and pulled her friend into her embrace, Stephanie cried into Margaret's chest.

"Stephanie, it's okay, I don't care about those bad people." she insisted while holding her friend closely, her dress becoming slightly stained with bitter tears.

"No.. But I care about you." Stephanie responded as she looked up into Margaret's eyes. She placed her hands on Margaret's face gently, and gave her a smooch on her cheek before hugging her. The emotion Stephanie felt in that moment was so heavy, she erupted again in sobs and tears. This chained a reaction in Margaret, causing her to start crying as she held Stephanie tenderly.

* * *

Woohoo, longest chapter so far. Not so much to say this time. What did you guys think though? Let me know either PM or Review, I would love to get more feedback before I really dig into the nitty gritty of the story. Thank you for reading, hope you all enjoyed.

-Pulp Rocker


	6. Chapter 4: Cutting It Short

Cutting It Short

* * *

8:45 AM, June 6th, 2017

In the third floor of the garage, a young hair dresser named Rosalita Labamba, sat in her humble, red Chevrolet sedan. She massaged the sides of her head with her eyes closed, preparing for the work day. She drew one more deep breath, and opened her eyes to the aroma of her fresh coffee. She muttered something in spanish with a smile upon her face before taking a small sip, the heated beverage a symphony of flavor upon her tongue. Rosalita exited her car with her purse on her right shoulder and her coffee in her left hand. She made her way to the elevator to head down, an older gentleman entering before her, she saw a bandage wrapped around his hand. She pressed the button, closing the door, and the elevator began it's descent, the man next to her began coughing, so she scooted away from him.

"I'm sorry, I'm just- bit under the weather," the man said trying to control himself.

"Hope you feel better," Rosalita said to him when the doors opened and they both left. He wheezed a couple more times, before spitting on the ground. She glanced back over at the man as she went the opposite direction, a look of concern on her face before she shook it off. Today would be like every usual work day, a nine to five shift at arguably the most popular salon in town, 'Penelope's Fine Cuts'. From where she was now, Rosalita would only need to walk about a minute or two through the light crowds of morning workers that roamed the bustling streets. The sun was still not quite fully up yet, so the light that was cast created a hint of orange across the clear blue sky that stretched over Richmond city. Upon arriving at the door to the salon, Rosalita put her coffee in her other hand, plunged her hand delicately into her pocket, and grabbed the store key, then inserted it into the lock. She pulled the door open, went inside, and began preparing the store for a day of business.

* * *

9:20 AM

Rosalita sat quietly in the back, enjoying the rest of her delicious coffee, her coworkers chatting amongst themselves while some toyed with their phones. Nobody had walked in quite yet, which was unusual for a Friday. Normally there would be dashing men and elegant women hurrying through the doors in hopes of acquiring a new look before the weekend. However, it would appear the staff were content with the lack of chaos, that is usually accompanied with the large quantity of customers they had grown accustomed to tending to. When she reached the bottom of her cup, Rosalita savored the last gulp, before tossing her trash away in the can beside her.

"Hey Rosalita, it's Friday amiga, how bout you and I have a smoke?" Jordan said as she grabbed her purse.

"Jordan, you know smoking kills you right?" Rosalita said as she shook her head in declination. Jordan shrugged and said,

"Eh, that's just a lame ass myth to scare little kids and their parents," and she pulled out a pack, and placed a cigarette between her lips before exiting through the front door. And not even a whole minute later, a couple of formally dressed men stepped into the salon. Rosalita subtly sighed, annoyed at how Jordan left just before they finally started getting customers. Amanda at the register welcomed them and began taking their requests, Charlotte and Rachel prepared themselves at their stations. Meanwhile, a third customer had walked in, this one a foxy, tall lady, possessing a slender figure, blanketed by an orange dress with matching heels. Rosalita knew she wanted to take this one, she took pride in her work if the customer seemed like a challenge. A few moments later, Rosalita seated the woman, who brushed her red hair with her thin hands.

"Good morning m'am, how would you like your hair cut today?" Rosalita asked.

"Umm.. Well, I'm thinking I want to cut it really short this time, can you cut the length up to about here? And also take some of the bulk off with it, make it look nice and blended all around." the red haired woman responded as she made gestures to help illustrate what it was she wanted. Quickly, Rosalita scanned her customer's hair, gently feeling some of it with her hands, formulating how she would transform her shoulder length hair.

"So.. From what you've told me, would a bob cut be something you're looking for?" Rosalita questioned looking upon the customer's pale, unblemished face.

"Yes, that'd be perfect," she responded with a pearly white smile. And without hesitation, Rosalita whipped out the black sheet, and covered the woman, wrapped the white cotton around her thin neck, and seized her comb. She began by dashing the hair with misty water, combed through to straighten the curls, and chopped the excess in the back. Carefully, Rosalita went along both sides of her head, trimming with the precision of a heart surgeon, blending together the lengths to give her customer a symmetrical appearance. Minutes went by, before Rosalita snipped the final strip of hair from her customer's hair, completing the transformation of her hair style. Rosalita handed her a mirror to gaze upon her new look from behind, her expression wide, but unknown. Rosalita felt her heart start to beat faster, nervous if her efforts were unsatisfactory.

"Oh my goodness, I'm in love with it, it's like I'm a whole new woman," she said as she turned to her stylist, an enormous smile upon her face. "May I have the number to this store? I want you to be my only hair stylist here." she demanded politely. Rosalita held her chest with her right hand in relief.

"I'd be happy to get it for you m'am," Rosalita responded giving her a pleasant smile back. Moments later, the customer had payed for her cut, and Rosalita deposited a store card into her hand at her request.

"Thank you so much m'am, you have a great weekend," she finished before handing over a twenty dollar bill, as a courtesy for her appreciated service.

"You too m'am, thank you very much," Rosalita said almost hesitating. She didn't mind getting tipped, however, that seemed a little much for something as small as a haircut. As the kind customer exited, Rosalita deposited the tip in the nearby jar next to the register. More customers had trickled in during the cut, so quickly she grabbed a broom and dustpan to clean up the remains of her work on the floor. She began to sweep in a hurry, when her phone began to ring in her pocket. Briefly looking at it, it was her mother calling, but returned her phone to her pocket, knowing that she didn't have the time to chat while on shift. Jordan walked past her in a huff, her footsteps almost sounding like tiny stomps of annoyance, Rosalita knew Jordan wasn't working here for the same reason she was. To Jordan, this was just another job, but to her however, this was her passion, which is why she felt the two of them weren't really fond of each other to begin with.

"Oh, how nice of you to join us, enjoy your cancer stick Jordan?" Haley said sarcastically before seating another customer.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I did, and I'm pretty sure I'll need another one in about half an hour." Jordan responded sounding a little agitated. She gestured to a man for him to come and take a seat, her expression less than friendly. Some time would pass before the store was crowded, customers awaiting patiently as the short staffed crew did their best to cut as efficiently and quickly as possible, no time for breaks.

"Where are Stacy and Amy? They were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago?" Jordan asked as she returned from the register, bringing along another customer.

"They both called in sick," Charlotte answered while clipping an older man's white hair.

"Sounds like they're just skipping out, they're probably out with their boyfriends or something stupid." she scoffed back. The sharply dressed man that sat in her chair looked a little intimidated by Jordan's attitude along with her septum nose piercing and her unkempt, black pixie cut.

"Alright, what can I do for you today stud muffin?" She asked with a snip of her scissors and her hand on her hip.

"Erm, just a-just a trim please." he said clearing his throat, almost as if he were afraid of what she would do to him with her irritated demeanor. Meanwhile, Rosalita finished up with a customer before quickly scurrying to the back to try and call her mother. The phone rang for a few moments before it was answered on the other end.

"Rosalita? Are you there?" her mother asked sounding distraught.

"Yes Mom, I'm at work right now, is everything alright?" she responded.

"Sweetie, I'm at the hospital right now, you're father is hurt really badly. The doctor still hasn't gotten back to me yet, I'm going to wait here until they tell me what's going to happen with him, so I need you to pick up Joey and Philippe from school." her mother said between pauses of anxiety.

"Oh my god, what happened to him? How badly is he hurt Mom!?" Rosalita asked with her eyes widened with fear.

"I'm not sure Rose, he was outside getting the paper when our..Our neighbor, Mr. Smith attacked him.." she answered.

Rosalita was unsure how to comprehend this situation, her hand on her head as if she were almost made dizzy by her mother's words.

"Hey Rose! We need you out here!" Haley called out from the main room.

"I'll call you back later when they tell me you're father's condition okay sweetie? I love you." she croaked, sounding as if she would break out in tears at any moment.

"I..I love you too Mom," she responded lowly before hanging up the phone.

"Rose!" Haley called again louder. Rosalita responded to her call by exiting the back room, looking ill with worry.

"Are you okay Rosalita?" Charlotte asked.

"I..I'm fine," she fibbed weakly, not looking at her. Charlotte gazed at her for a quick moment before opening her mouth again.

"Take a break Rosey, we'll hold down the fort, why don't you get some fresh air?" she suggested as she refocused her attention on her customer.

"Just do what I do amiga, a smoke break never killed me before," Jordan said holding out her pack of cigs. Rosalita looked at her, and reluctantly took a cigarette. Jordan reached in her pocket and handed her a lighter before Rosalita exited the salon. She hurriedly walked over to the alleyway on the side of the salon, rested her back on the brick wall, and looked down at the ground. She tried to keep her shock under control, the desired result escaping her. She put the cigarette in her mouth, lit it, and drew back on the thing she stated she wished to not partake in. The fact that she caved in to an unhealthy stress reliever made her immediately regret her lack of conviction. All she could do for the moment it seems was pray that her father would be alright in the end...

* * *

2:27PM

"Amanda, I have to leave now to go pick up my little brothers, I'll be back to help close." Rosalita stated sounding very somber as she grabbed her purse.

"Don't worry about it, I want you to go home for the day, your family will need you." Amanda said with a smile as an attempt to cheer her up. Rosalita looked at her briefly, a smile almost breaking through the surface of her worrisome expression.

"Thank you, I'll see you Monday," she finished before leaving the salon. She started her little trek back to the garage a couple blocks back, looking straight through the people who walked the direction opposite of her. The sound of multiple sirens could be heard faintly, before the noise began to grow louder as three cop cars, a fire truck and two ambulances tried to cut their way through the dense traffic of the city streets. Rosalita payed no mind to it however, nothing would phase her current train of thought right now. All she could think of was the situation, how her mother felt, what had really happened to her father. A little while later, she arrived at her car, to which she entered, but did not immediately start. Rosalita massaged the sides of her head with her eyes closed, took slow, deep breaths, trying to relax. Whatever it took to convince her that things would be okay soon, she wanted to feel anything that wasn't what she felt now. She started the engine, and began to maneuver her way out of the garage. When she entered the second floor, she spotted a man who was shouting at another man incoherently. The other man lunged at the shouting man with his arms out, Rosalita did not want to get intertwined in their fight so she continued driving. In her mirror she saw them still struggling, but once again shook it off as she drove downward to ground floor. Upon exiting the garage, she immediately began heading to the elementary school, where her two brothers Joey and Philippe were.

* * *

3:30PM

"Where's Mom and Dad?" the eight year old Joey asked. Rosalita concocted something quickly, she did not want her brothers to feel worried like she was, especially because they were kids.

"There..There just out running some errands Joey, okay? They'll be home later tonight," she lied with a fake smile. She tried to think of something, someway to keep the boys distracted so they wouldn't wonder where their parents were.

"Hey, it's Friday you two, what do you say your big sister Rose orders a pizza for you both?" Rosalita asked looking back through the rearview mirror. Philippe and Joey both had their jaws on the floor with excitement.

"Can we get breadsticks and soda too!? Pretty please?" the ten year old brother, Philippe asked with puppy-dog eyes, his hands together as if he were begging for it. Rosalita looked at him, his face melting Rosalita's will to resist.

"Alright, breadsticks and soda too." she said with a small, genuine smile. Philippe made a fist with joy, and whispered "yes" to himself. Joey looked pleased to hear this as well. They arrived back at their humble abode in the suburbs nearby the city, parking in the driveway. The three Labambas exited the car and entered the house, Joey and Philippe rushing to the living room to watch cartoons. Meanwhile, Rosalita removed her shoes, deposited her purse on the kitchen counter, and joined her siblings on the other couch, laying down with a sigh of comfort.

"Miss Dilly wasn't at school today Rose," Joey started, turning his attention from the tv to his big sister.

"Oh, why not Joey?" Rosalita asked with her eyebrow raised.

"Mr. Scott said she was at the hospital, I hope she isn't sick." Joey said sounding glum. Philippe put an arm around his younger brother's shoulder.

"Don't worry buddy, she'll be okay, the doctors will take care of her." Philippe told him. Joey stared at the ground for a moment, his expression hinting at being upset.

"I like Miss Dilly, she's really nice to us," Joey responded. Hearing his brother sounding unhappy, Rosalita stood and went over to sit in between the two of them. She wrapped her arms around both her brothers, and kissed them both on the head.

"Don't worry Joey, Miss Dilly will be okay, like Philippe said." Rosalita told Joey in an attempt to lighten him up. It was at this moment, a metaphorical hamster wheel began to turn in her head, recalling all the events that had occurred today. The two men fighting in the garage, the emergency vehicles, her father getting attacked by their neighbor. She had a thought, and come to think of it, she had almost forgotten about the Smiths.

"You know what you two, I'm just gonna go check something out real quick. I'll be right back," she said as she rose to her feet. She slipped her tennis shoes back on, grabbed her keys and went for the front door.

"Where are you gonna go Rose?" Philippe asked over the couch.

"Just across the street, I wanna ask the Smiths something." she answered before exiting the house and locking the front door with her key. She did not want to keep the two of them waiting for long. When she looked at the Smith's house that stood diagonally right from hers, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Walking a little further though, she stopped by her mailbox, stained by a dark red splatter, the grass underneath a similar hue. Without investigating it further however, she jogged across the street to the Smith's house. Rosalita knocked on the door a few times and waited a few moments.

"Mrs. Smith! Are you in there!?" she called out, banging on the door a few more times. Her call was answered with silence, perhaps Mrs. Smith was absent from her home she thought. She turned around and returned to her own house across the street. When she arrived back at the door, she glanced back at the other house for a second, but turned her attention back again at the second floor window, the curtain shifting ever so slightly, unsure if what she saw was something moving. As a chill ran up her spine, Rosalita quickly went back inside and locked the door, this time with a bolt.

* * *

Hope you all had a great weekend. As always, feel free to leave a review, shoot me a PM for anything, anytime, and as I said before, thank you for reading, and hope you enjoyed.

-Pulp Rocker


	7. Chapter 5: Hide Me

Hide Me

* * *

1:27 AM June 7th, 2017

The sound of loud knocking at his door stirred James from his slumber, making him look at his alarm clock, scoffing at the ridiculous hour. Who could it be this late at night he thought. He began to make his way clumsily to the front door, passing by his kitchen counter where a bottle of whiskey and an empty glass stood together, causing him to remember what he was doing a few hours ago. He turned on a couple lights and looked through the peephole to see someone he thought he recognized. Long and wavy black hair, pale skin, and a pretty face, this must have been Jane. James opened the door, looking rather exhausted with his tired eyes. He said nothing initially, feeling curious as to what she was even doing here this late.

"Jim, can I come in please?" she began.

"Umm.. Sure, is umm… Is everything alright?" he said as she walked inside before he shut the door. She didn't answer right away, as she noticed the bottle of whiskey on James' counter.

"May I have some?" she asked, her emotion still clouded to James.

"Go ahead.." James said as he steadily made his way over to her side. He rubbed his face with his hands, trying hard to awaken himself. However, the alcohol he had consumed was affecting him, and he did recall drinking quite a bit before crashing on his bed. Once Jane had grabbed a cup from the cabinet, poured herself some and hastily chugged it down, James gave her a look of both curiosity and astonishment.

"Wo wo, slow down there, and I thought I was Irish. What's going on Jane?" he asked her. She didn't look at him, she simply stared at the wall in front of them, as if watching the paint dry. He put his hand on her shoulder delicately, which made her jerk her head at him.

"It's.. I.. I didn't know where else to go, he-he tried to-to kill me," she said stuttering uncontrollably.

"Kill you? Who Jane?" James questioned feeling a little less drowsy.

"A man James, a man came after me, I heard some noise down the hall, and when I went to go check it out, he chased me-he.. He looked so scary, he had blood all over him, and his eyes they-they weren't normal!" she exclaimed sounding horrified. James' eyes were more open now after hearing Jane explain the situation. Fighting back the alcohol in his system, he tried to form more solid, coherent thoughts before saying something.

"Did he hurt you?" James asked worriedly.

"No, he was moving really slow, but he wouldn't go away.. He didn't even say anything he just made noises at me.." she answered as she began to hold herself. This wasn't making any sense to James at first, but he recalled the events he had been paying attention to on the news these past few days. It made sense how she described the man not saying anything, that's what he had heard on the news the other night. He quit thinking so deeply on it and returned his full attention to Jane, who looked very unsettled by all this.

"Well, you shouldn't go back to your apartment until we know that it's safe there." James responded. Jane looked at him, her expression that of a child frightened of the bumps in the night.

"It's not like I'm gonna send you off to some sketchy motel, you can stay here for the night, couch is comfortable if you want it," he finished. Jane nodded at him a moment after, still holding herself. James paused, then approached her steadily. He then wrapped his arms around her, she hesitatingly doing the same, before tightening her hold.

"I was so afraid, it was like something out of a scary movie, but it was real," she spoke softly.

"It's okay, you're safe now Jane," he responded. Even though James only knew Jane as a coworker, he felt that this would help to ease Jane up a bit, apart from the whiskey she drank. They let go of each other, then Jane went over to the couch to lie down, removing her brown sandals first. James went to his bedroom, and returned with a blue blanket, and handed it to Jane who wrapped herself up in a blue bundle.

"Thank you, I'm sorry I woke you up.." she said as she sank her head into the pillow.

"It's alright, don't worry about it. Try to get some sleep. Good night Jane." he said with a wave of his hand before turning off the lights and retiring to his bedroom. He slowly fell back into his bed, but didn't quite feel as tired as he did minutes ago. James felt something bad was going on, now more so due to the fact that someone he knows was recently attacked. He was thankful Jane wasn't hurt, but now his concern was that this situation was growing more and more apparent. All he could do for the moment was try to sleep it off, and hope that he could figure this out soon.

* * *

8:47 AM June 7th, 2017

Jane sat up from her couch slumber to find James at his kitchen, putting together something she couldn't quite make out through her tired eyes. He turned to her with a smile.

"Good morning sunshine, how do you take your coffee and how do you like your eggs?" he asked cheerfully.

"…Cream and sugar, scrambled." she said before plopping back down on the pillow. James proceeded to brew up some coffee in the pot, busted out a pan and got to work. He cracked eggs, toasted bread, he was sure a good breakfast would put his guest in a good mood. When he finished, James brought a white tray over and set it in front of Jane on the coffee table. Jane had hunger written all over her face as she sat up, still wrapped in the blanket. A miniature banquet of buttered toast, lightly salted eggs and coffee filled her nostrils, feeding the hunger in her stomach. She grabbed the plate and a fork, and inhaled the food while James turned on the t.v.. He sat down next to her, chuckling a bit at his hungry guest.

"Jinkies, you were pretty hungry, weren't you?" he said with his coffee in hand.

"Who says 'Jinkies' anymore? Who are you? Velma from Scooby Doo?" she laughed after swallowing her eggs. James sipped his coffee lightly, careful to not burn his tongue. When Jane had finished scarfing down her toast and seized her coffee, she happened to glance at James' right arm. She saw a significantly deep scar that neared his shoulder, resembling a large cut.

"Did you get that while you were in the military?" Jane asked before sipping her coffee. James looked at his scar for a long moment, then looked back at her with a smile.

"Yeah, they got me pretty good, but I lived past it. Good thing I had my team with me, otherwise, I doubt that I'd be here right now." he responded with a sigh. He continued to enjoy his coffee while Jane watched him with her eyes widened by curiosity.

"They? Who's they?" she questioned worriedly.

"Russians. I was stationed in Europe at the time, and I had a temporary deployment to the middle of nowhere. There was nothing but snow and mountains for miles. It honestly was one of the most difficult deployments of my life, and also the worst.." he said with his tone losing it's cheerfulness.

"Bottom line.. I stayed there much longer than my team did, that's for sure.. Had they not been there.." his words started to lose their path, as he realized he didn't need to discuss his wretched past with his coworker.

"Let's just say, I'm glad I had my wingmen their to watch my back." he finished as he did his best to form a pseudo smile.

"I can't believe I'm sitting next to a real veteran. What were you when you were still in, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Security Forces. I was trained on how to do a lot of.. Hands on things if you will. I'm a pretty good shot, you gotta be when you or someone's life is on the line." he said before drinking more coffee. Jane's eyes were wide with astonishment, and she anxiously slurped from her mug.

"Anyway, how are you feeling?" James asked.

"..I do feel a lot better.. I just.. Jim, thank you for letting me stay here. I didn't want to be alone after last night, you made me feel safe." she answered. James put his hand on her back and rubbed her gently.

"Glad I could help someone out," he said with a more genuine smile. She smiled back at him, feeling comforted by how she felt that he cared.

"I think it's safe for me to go back now, there's usually people awake that have their morning smoke outside so if there's trouble I'll just scream." she chuckled to herself.

"Are you sure? You're more than welcome to stay longer if you'd like." James responded.

"It's okay Jim, I've got things I need to take care of, plus, I want to make sure that creepy man didn't hurt any of my neighbors." she told him. She set her mug down, stood up and stretched for a good few seconds.

"Alright, but if you need anything call me." he said as he stood up with his mug still in hand.

"I will, thanks." and she went to the door, James slowly followed. She turned to him and gave him one last wave and a smile.

"I'll see you later Jim." she finished before closing the door on her way out. James' smile slowly faded away as he went back and sat upon his couch alone, ignoring the t.v.. He sat there with his coffee, which began to cool the longer he blankly stared ahead. Finally, he set his mug down, and went to his bathroom, turned on the lights, and stared at himself in the mirror. For whatever reason, even though the temperature in his apartment was normal, he could feel goosebumps appearing on his arms, a chilling sensation coursing through his body. He began to remember part of the events in the short story he was describing to Jane.

* * *

16:47 (4:47 PM) November 26th, 2015

Cold. All he could feel was the icy winds that ferociously whipped his weakened body as he poorly attempted at trekking the frozen wastes in the mountains of Russia. His nostrils were stained with blood that he tried to wipe away with the arm of his jacket that did little to insulate him from the harsh temperatures. Over the howling winds, he could hear the roaring of an engine approaching him from behind. Through the density of the snowy winds, he could see headlights coming at him from behind. James quickly trotted to the right of the road, and did his best to bury himself, covering himself in the snow which his uniform melded with. The vehicle came and passed by him, his attempt at being a chameleon was a success, however, the addition of more snow only made James feel more acute pain coursing through his fragile body. He stood slowly, and continued his way towards home base as quickly as his body would allow him to.

* * *

Present day

James snapped back to reality, shaking his head somewhat, looking back at the mirror. He felt his heart beating faster as he clutched where it was with his left hand. He went back, turned off his t.v. and reclaimed his coffee. He drank the rest of it, now that it had cooled off. James felt he needed to distract himself from his recollection of his past. So he got an idea in his head, but before he would act on it, he needed to clean the whiskey funk off of him before leaving for his destination.

* * *

Meanwhile...

Margaret awoke slowly, to find herself in a position that she did not want to quite leave. She found herself embracing Stephanie, who still slept soundly and silently. Knowing she had to be at work soon, she did her best to shimmy her way out and off of Stephanie's bed, without disturbing her slumber. After last night, she wanted Stephanie to have her rest so she would feel better later on. When she stood, she looked at the clock on her desk that read 9:32. She had a little more than an hour to get her way down to the video store to open up shop. Margaret proceeded to the bathroom and shed her clothes from her pale body, admiring her curves a bit before entering the steamy shower. She tried to pick herself back up emotionally, after what had happened to her and Stephanie last night. She tried to shake the image of those two horrid people that crushed their Friday night out. She wanted to find some means to cheer Stephanie up, remembering that Stephanie liked romcoms and chocolate. Margaret smiled at her fool proof plan to surprise her friend, and turned the shower off so she could start drying and dressing herself.

* * *

11:03 AM June 7th, 2016

Margaret sat comfortably at her counter with her coffee cup in hand. She had just finished setting up the store for business, and she already was eager to go home as soon as possible. She enjoyed her job here, but today she wanted to surprise Stephanie, and the sooner she got to leave, the sooner she could see her friend. The tiny t.v. that sat next to her had The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross playing. She loved watching him paint so she wasn't too bored when business was slow. She gushed over how easily he crafted beautiful scenes of nature on a blank canvas within minutes, it was something magical to her. Suddenly, her attention was stolen by the sound of the store bell being rung by a customer.

"Good morning, and welcome to Ed's video gall-" and she stopped before she could finish. The customer who walked in bore a surprised expression on his face, similar to Margaret's. She did not expect to see him somehow coincidently stumble into her workplace after yesterday...

* * *

Who could it be? Is it James? Is it Martin? Is it someone new!? Find out next chapter. I've been feeling rather ill these past few days so I did my best to type this up when I wasn't resting. It would really help cheer me up if I got more feedback from you the audience, it goes a long way, believe me. I hope you all had a great weekend, stay safe and stay healthy, and as I've said before, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed.

-Pulp Rocker


End file.
